Victim's Father Seeks O.J. Simpson's Name

The father of murder victim Ron Goldman is entering uncharted legal waters in
one more attempt to collect on a $33.5 million judgment leveled against former football legend
O.J. Simpson.

Fred Goldman has petitioned a Los Angeles court to give him the "right of publicity" to Simpson's once-lucrative name, face and image.

The former gridiron great was acquitted of the 1994 murders of his ex-wife, Nicole, and her friend, Ron Goldman.

In 1997, however, a civil trial jury found Simpson liable for the brutal killings and ordered him to pay the victims' survivors.

Since that judgment, the Goldmans and the Brown family -- Nicole's survivors -- have received very little of that money, they say.

"He personally has never paid a dime on the judgment to anyone," Fred Goldman said. "He has made it very clear over the years that he has no intention of doing so."

Some money was collected in the 1999 auction of Simpson's prized Heisman Trophy, which was sold for $230,000.

Other personal possessions were included in a sale conducted by Butterfield and Butterfield auction house.

After the fees for the auction were paid, the families were given about $382,000, a small fraction of the estimated $20 million, plus interest, the court ruled be paid to the Goldman family alone.

But money may not be the main motivation behind this latest legal weapon wielded by Fred Goldman.

"Any pain and aggravation that I can cause him is just wonderful," he said.

"For Fred Goldman, this is going to be a grudge match forever," said Loyola Law School professor Laurie Levenson, who has closely followed the Simpson case.

"Frankly, even if he doesn't collect much money, it will give O.J. some legal problems. O.J. will have to
explain where he is getting his money, what he is doing with his money. And that will keep his mind on what Fred Goldman wants the focus to be: these terrible murders."

Simpson's once-lucrative career as a broadcaster, spokesman, celebrity endorser and actor all but vanished with the murder charges.

One source of Simpson's revenue these days is a lucrative NFL pension that is protected by California law from being attached to civil lawsuit awards.

Some estimates have Simpson receiving $25,000 a month for his service in the National Football League.

Also, the state of Florida, where Simpson has lived since the trials, protects an individual's home from being seized to pay a debt.